Connecting the dots: top news stories for Tuesday, November 15

After record low turn-out for a competitive mayor’s race in San Francisco, some critics are calling for the end of ranked-choice voting, labeling it a “failed experiment.” They claim the system only exacerbates the problems it was meant to fix, including campaign finance issues, negative campaigning, and voter turnout…

San Francisco Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi, who was just elected sheriff in a ranked-choice race, has proposed legislation that would require San Francisco shoppers to pay a 10-cent fee for each bag provided by a store at checkout. The legislation would also extend the current ban on plastic bags at grocery and drug stores to encompass all retail stores…

Another official elected by ranked-choice voting, Oakland Mayor Jean Quan is dealing with yesterday’s resignation of two top staff members. Dan Siegel, her chief legal adviser and longtime friend, sharply criticized her handling of the latest Occupy Oakland Raid. Co-deputy mayor Sharon Cornu, meanwhile, left more quietly. She praised the mayor’s handling of the Occupy Oakland situation, and was not specific regarding the cause of her resignation…

In other Occupy news, Santa Rosa city officials are planning to issue a limited number of camping permits to some members of the Occupy Santa Rosa encampment outside City Hall. There are currently over 100 tents, but the city is planning to issue only 57 permits, meaning the others could still face possible eviction…

In contrast to Santa Rosa’s quietly supportive relationship with protesters, the UC Board of Regents canceled their bimonthly meeting that was to take place this week in San Francisco, after receiving “credible intelligence” about possibly violent protests. Meanwhile, trustees of California State University are proceeding with their own meetings today and tomorrow, but adding more security. Both systems are facing criticism for more tuition hikes and layoffs in the face of continuing budget woes…

And in other transportation-related news, San Francisco cyclist Raymond Ang will be charged with misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter in the death of an elderly pedestrian. Ang collided with the woman after he ran a red light on his bicycle in July. While the case has drawn a lot of attention, both bike and pedestrian advocates point out that cars still remain the biggest danger to pedestrians on the street.